Your weekly Excel schedule template might need to go, and here is why.
Ok, so you have been using an Excel employee schedule template for quite a long time, and you were happy with it. But lately, things have changed a little. Your team became bigger, so scheduling became more complicated and more time-consuming. You are busier than ever, and you probably have less time to focus on your team's schedule. Sounds familiar? It's time to admit that you are struggling. It's ok; we have all been there. Now let's look at what's causing all the trouble and what you can do to change and improve your scheduling process.
There is nothing wrong with using a scheduling template; on the contrary, it can be convenient, saving valuable time. So what's the problem then? It's the tool you are using to create your template - Excel. We know what you're thinking right now - "but why, Excel is easy, familiar, and everyone is using it"... Yes, we know that Excel is great; it was one of the best business improvements ever invented. Nobody denies that, but the big question is, is it the best option for your schedule? Your team's schedule is way too important to let it be handled by some old-fashioned tool. It's time to admit that it is no longer the best scheduling option out there. Here are some reasons that might help you realize that change is needed:
3 reasons why your Excel employee schedule template needs to go
#1 An Excel schedule template is not easy to access
It's 2020; the world has changed. Almost all teams are working from home, and it looks like the situation is not going to change anytime soon. That means your team needs to have easy access to your schedule. Sure, you can keep sending them multiple emails with your Excel spreadsheet schedule, but does that make it easy to access? Your team schedule changes quite often, so if you keep using Excel, you will probably end up sending multiple emails every day. And your team will not like the idea of always looking through their emails, trying to find the most current version of their schedule. So, an Excel spreadsheet is no longer a good option.
#2 An Excel schedule template is very limiting
Excel might have been enough when you had a small team with just a couple of shifts, but once your team became bigger, your schedule became more complicated. Whether you need to plan your team's leave, manage more shifts, or improve your intraday management, one thing is clear - Excel can't do it all. Actually, it could, but you will end up with more than a dozen different spreadsheets, you will continuously switch between Excel files, wasting valuable time. Not the best option, right?
For example, if you want to make attendance sheet in excel, there will be no default template which you can use. Also, it will be very difficult to make such sheet and track all data.
With a more complicated schedule, you will need your team members to participate in the planning too. They can update their availability, request a swap, add a leave request, etc. Unfortunately, if you keep using Excel, that won't be possible.
#3 There is no communication in Excel
Communication is essential for your team's schedule, and there is none in Excel. All communication related to your scheduling needs to happen somewhere else. This means that when something is not clear, or there is a little problem, the hassle begins. You will be making a dozen calls, leaving extra notes, your team members will be emailing or texting you, etc. Basically, one big mess. Excel doesn't allow you and your team to communicate efficiently, which can be a big problem for your schedule.
So now what?
Ok, so we can agree that Excel is no longer the best solution for you and your team, awesome! But now what? The answer is very simple - it is time for you to start using dedicated software for your teams' scheduling needs. It will make your life easier; it will improve your scheduling process and make your employees happier. So what are you waiting for? Schedule a demo now and see how Soon can take your schedule to the next level!
